Mikel Arteta is almost back to full strength at Arsenal after a nightmare run of injury problems. Captain Martin Odegaard is back in the first team squad, playing a vital role in the win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Meanwhile Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, both of whom have suffered with injuries this season, were also in the starting lineup. Mikel Merino played a full part, as did Bukayo Saka, who has had niggling problems all season.
The only major names missing on Saturday were Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Ben White, but the former two of those were hardly missing, given they were both on the substitutes’ bench. White is a long-term absentee, alongside Kieran Tierney – although he is back in training – and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
A return to almost full-strength could lead Arteta and Arsenal to rethink their January transfer plans. The January window is not usually one the Gunners are particularly busy in, but with injury problems it may have been one they thought about making moves in.
